Ken Paxton Told Donors Trump's Convention Hurt His Campaign, Report Says
The Texas Republican nominee's remarks, captured on audio, suggest a disconnect with the former president's influence.
Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton told donors at a private fundraiser that President Donald Trump's midterm convention earlier this month had negatively impacted his political standing, according to audio obtained by The New York Times.
In the recording, a person believed to be Paxton responded to a question about Trump being a "drag" by stating, "So to be honest with you, the numbers -- when we did that convention -- it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good."
Three individuals familiar with the event confirmed to The New York Times that Paxton attended the fundraiser and made the remarks about the convention. The Paxton campaign has pushed back against the report, calling it "manipulated nonsense." When asked by ABC News if the campaign was claiming the audio was manipulated, the campaign did not provide a response.
Paxton's comments are notable given his close alignment with Trump, who endorsed him ahead of the Texas Senate runoff earlier this year. Trump had supported Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary.
Recent polling indicates a tight Senate race in Texas. A ReconMR Texas Poll found that 49% of likely voters would vote for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico if the election were held today, while 43% would vote for Paxton.
During the GOP midterm convention, Trump made comments praising Paxton while also remarking on his appearance. "He may not dress right, he may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I've ever seen. But you know what he is? He's the greatest attorney general in America, and he deserves to be your next senator," Trump said in early September.
Paxton's remarks about the convention suggest broader concerns among some GOP candidates that Trump's approval ratings and the current political climate, marked by voter concerns over inflation, could affect their electoral prospects. Several Republicans running in competitive races have recently joined calls within the party to end the war in Iran, including Senate candidates Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa and Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio.
Trump is scheduled to visit Texas later this week for economic remarks, an event that occurs five weeks before Election Day.